“My Mortal Shall Put on Immortality”

Brant Gardner

Literary: Enos ends his writing with his final testimony which emphasized both the Redeemer aspect of Christ's mission as well as the resurrection. In so doing, the language we have reflects two texts from the King James Version of the Bible.

The " mortal shall put on immortality" is certainly patterned after Paul's similar usage in Corinthians:

"1 Cor. 15:53 -54

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

Similarly, the "see his face" is certainly patterned after Job:

"Job 19:26

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:"

As with other such passages in the Book of Mormon, the parallels to the language of the Bible simply indicates the presence of those phrases in Joseph's mind as ways in which the meaning could be translated. Enos understood the resurrection, and in so understanding, the concept of the physical resurrection is the intent of his statement. That Joseph Smith couched Enos' meaning is phrases of similar meaning and familiar ring indicates nothing other than that which is well known, that the cadences and literary feeling of the Book of Mormon is intentionally patterned after the King James Version of the Bible.

Multidimensional Commentary on the Book of Mormon

References